Signature of Sir William Bowman (b.1816-d.1892), English surgeon, histologist & anatomist
Description
This item contains a signature of Sir William Bowman, (b.1816-d.1892) an English surgeon, histologist and anatomist known for research using microscopes to study various human organs. Striated muscle fine structure began to be really understood following a comprehensive survey of the matter carried out by William Bowman in the late 1830s. He linked the glomeruli to the tubules, described the parietal epithelial cells, the basement membranes, and (with Robert Todd) apparently first identified endothelial cells. His work, "On the Structure and Use of the Malpighian Bodies of the Kidney", was awarded the Royal Medal. His collaboration with Todd led to the publication of the five-volume "Physiological Anatomy and Physiology of Man" (1843–1856) and "Cyclopaedia of Anatomy and Physiology" (1852), which detailed their research on microscopy and histology, relating minute anatomical observations to physiological functions. See: Thomas, K.B.The manuscripts of Sir William Bowman. Med Hist. 1966 Jul;10(3):245-56. PMCID: PMC103360 & For more biographical information search PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Bowman+W[PS] -- Autograph collected by David S. Light, M.D. as part of the Light collection of scientific letters. The collection was donated to the Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences between 1993 and 2003. David S. Light, M.D. (alumnus, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1944)